Moving from your home is never an easy task in life. First of all, you have the emotional baggage, then comes the real baggage along with the whole moving conundrum. During these sensitive periods, people tend to make mistakes. Due to the fact that moving is always complex, people forget that someone might try to take advantage of their situation and harm them. That’s why finding the right moving company to handle your move is of the utmost importance. But, seeing that there are many, many unqualified and unlicensed movers in the industry, you need to be extra cautious. So, in order to make this whole process easier on you, take a look below and read about some of the best tips that will help you recognize a moving scam. You can never know where the scammers are lurking. So, it’s best to do everything to spot them before it’s too late.

Choose a reputable moving company

The first step towards avoiding a scam is looking for a reputable company. What does that mean? Well, that means looking for a reputable mover with proven track records of successful job completion. Companies that have been in the business for some time now usually won’t risk tarnishing their reputation by making a blunder. Building a good portfolio in this industry is difficult since the competition is quite fierce and numerous. So, you should rest assured that there is a lower chance of getting scammed if you opt for a company with a long tradition. Companies that have a lot of happy customers don’t want to take advantage or scam people. They know very well that scams work in the short-term. On top of that, they are most likely honest people. Also, the best moving companies are bonded by insurance coverage so even if they try to do something illegal you will get your refund.

Look for reviews online

It’s really important to try and find good reviews online. First of all, if you have any friends who have moved away from your state, give them a call and ask them what company they hired and whether they were satisfied with the service. Once you do that, if you have friends who have moved, try to find online reviews and comments about the company. For example, if you are from New Jersey, you might want to type in something along the lines of ‘best companies for moving of America - NJ Movers’ and look for the results. You will most likely find what you were looking for since the best moving companies realize how important it is to advertise their services online. On top of that, you have many websites where people leave their comments about doing business with moving companies. Some companies even leave a form on their websites where you can write your experience for the other potential customers to read. So, it’s definitely a good idea to check online for reviews before you actually make a call and spend money that was hard-earned.

Keep your eyes peeled for attractive prices and strange contracts

People who are looking to scam you in this industry usually come up with low moving price quotes, especially if you decide to give them a ring over a telephone. This is a good way to lure you in and close a deal quickly. When you make your first call, they will offer a price that is simply irresistible. Of course, you will also get a shady contract offer. If you accept, they will jack-up the price on your moving day or day before moving. If you fall for this, they can hold your belongings and then start bargaining for additional money. If you don’t find a way to come up with an agreeable price, they might take your stuff and disappear. Oh, and don’t even try to threaten them with a lawsuit. Things often ended up getting physical with people who tried to take legal action. So, always look for a no-obligation moving quote with a detailed written contract that is customized for your moving needs. If the things mentioned before were clear red flags, the contract, and a free quote were clear green flags. Look at it that way.

Do not pay ahead

If you get asked to pay upfront, the chances are that you are going to get ripped off. No reputable moving company will ask you to pay in advance, before the moving day. Reputable companies may require part-payment as a mean to initiate the contract. They will never require a payment made in full.

So, beware of this scenario:

You will get an extremely attractive offer.

You will then be asked to pay upfront.

No one will show up to actually do the moving.

And, that’s how people get scammed in this business. It’s possible that these movers don’t even exist, it’s possible that they won’t show up even if they do exist and it’s also possible that they just disappear with your belongings after loading up. Therefore, avoid paying ahead because that usually means that you will get scammed.

Do not book at the eleventh hour

You should know that under normal circumstances, reputable movers are busy most times, and booking them at the last minute may be difficult. That is fairly obvious, right? Good moving companies usually recommend that you call for quotes at least a month ahead of the move. For example, there are moving specialists you can hire in River Edge, NJ only if you book early.

This especially applies to seasons such as summer and spring. These months are the peak months. Some scammers hunt for victims that call to book last-minute. If they see that a customer is desperate, they will take advantage of that. These scammers usually charge additional fees and once you put a pen to paper and realize how much you have spent, you will see that you could have moved twice for the money you lost. So, in order to eliminate the chance of that happening, plan ahead and everything will be okay.

Wrapping up

Plan ahead, be extra careful, look for real reviews. It’s okay, moving is not easy, you can get distracted. But, for your own sake, try to be focused as much as you can because the mistakes you make when you pick a fraud company can cost you a lot.